Is the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee a bad year?
241 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Grand Cherokee years.
Keep it
Engine and transmission complaints for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee are in line with other Grand Cherokee years.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2020 Grand Cherokee owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 12,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 74 (31%) | 2k–33k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Engine | 56 (23%) | 4k–52k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Transmission and drivetrain | 39 (16%) | 4k–42k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Steering | 13 (5%) | 12k–38k miles · around this mileage | Steering rack and pinion replacement $700–$2,100 |
| Brakes | 13 (5%) | 32k–70k miles · ahead | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Fuel system | 21 (9%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 17 (7%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Speed control | 15 (6%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 9 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Backup camera | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 8 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Seat belts | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Visibility and wipers | 5 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 12,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 241 complaints: 24 mention a crash · 5 mention a fire · 10 report an injury · 31 say the car was towed.
47 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Oct 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
I was at a red ight, on a busy road. The light turned green, I was the first car stopped in the turning lane.
The check engine light keeps coming on it has to do with the emissions control the vehicle does not run properly.
Transmission lost power while driving. Was not able to keep rate of speed. Car stopped and would not go into gear stranded in traffic.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 12,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee: 3
The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation. Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Jeep: 277
Repair instructions Jeep sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The Customer May Complain About a Popping Noise, Grinding Noise, or an Intermittent No Reverse or Forward Transmission Engagement
Power Liftgate Inoperative
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp…
The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission
NHTSA defect investigations: 1
High pressure fuel pump failure
Neighbouring years
2019 Grand Cherokee: 370 complaints, keep it · 2021 Grand Cherokee: 413 complaints, keep it.
Every Jeep Grand Cherokee year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Grand Cherokee years side by side
Other Jeep models: Jeep Cherokee · Jeep Commander · Jeep Compass · Jeep Gladiator · Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe · Jeep Grand Cherokee L · Jeep Grand Wagoneer · Jeep Laredo · Jeep Liberty · Jeep Patriot · Jeep Renegade · Jeep Wagoneer · Jeep Wrangler · Jeep Wrangler 4xe · Jeep Wrangler Sahara. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee a bad year?
241 owner complaints to NHTSA. Engine and transmission complaints are in line with other Grand Cherokee years. At 12,000 miles the tool says: Keep it.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: electrical system (74), engine (56), transmission and drivetrain (39), steering (13), brakes (13).
How many recalls does the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Engine (NHTSA 23V-411), Fuel system (NHTSA 22V-406), Backup camera (NHTSA 20V-191). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.